Bingo. Not to mention that the same instrument can sound different with each player. It's similar to in Harry Potter, the wand choses the wizard. When lil miss was getting a new instrument the owner of the best place in the state worked with her for over an hour trying this one and that one. Some were beautiful, others caused ear bleeding. We kept going back to one each time. After she had decided on it, the owner played it to show her that their two sounds were different. It was futher proved when lil miss' teacher had the same brand but she also produced a different sound.
And I’ll bet your lil miss kept going back to the most expensive instrument in the place. In my experience, lil misses have an unerring instinct for that.
And that highlights two different aspects. We recognize the beauty of the instrument by the best player with the best instrument. Somehow it really connects with a majority which sound is superior. Aside from promotion and politics, the audience has a large say in what it wants to hear. I don’t think in my lifetime I will hear an artist say that Strads were great in their time, but modern techniques have made them less than Ideal. So who really dictates the ideal? The consumer? The artist who develops his sound with much money promoting that sound?
Individuals have a role to play in much more than music. This is why we assemble here. The simple lessons of music culture and promotion apply to what this site is based upon.
I come from a musical background so I see these parallels, and I see people giving too much credit to people who have mastered an instrument. Too much of an ear to people who express a shallow view because it tickles their ears.